Configurable voltage regulator

• US 20070043988A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sehat Sutardja
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/724
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2884 using dedicated test connectors, test elements or test circuits on the IC under test G01R31/2855 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31721 Power aspects, e.g. power supplies for test circuits, power saving during test for scan test G01R31/318575
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31908 Tester set-up, e.g. configuring the tester to the device under test [DUT], down loading test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/02 Detection or location of defective auxiliary circuits, e.g. defective refresh counters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/021 in voltage or current generators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/028 with adaption or trimming of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/50008 of impedance

Abstract

A production testing system for testing an integrated circuit comprises a control module that generates a setpoint and a setpoint range. A configurable integrated circuit receives the setpoint and the setpoint range, that has M predetermined configurations, and generates N successive output signals by sequentially selecting N ones of M discrete values of an output characteristic of the configurable integrated circuit based on the setpoint and the setpoint range, where M and N are integers greater than one and where M is greater than N. An integrated circuit is tested in accordance with the N output signals of the configurable integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A production testing system for testing an integrated circuit comprising:

a control module that generates a setpoint and a setpoint range;

a configurable integrated circuit that receives said setpoint and said setpoint range, that has M predetermined configurations, and that generates N successive output signals by sequentially selecting N ones of M discrete values of an output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit based on said setpoint and said setpoint range, where M and N are integers greater than one and where M is greater than N; and

an integrated circuit that is tested in accordance with said N output signals of said configurable integrated circuit.

2. The production testing system of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit includes at least one of a memory circuit and a central processing unit.

3. The production testing system of claim 1 further comprising a test module that tests operation of said integrated circuit while said integrated circuit operates based on said N output signals of said configurable integrated circuit.

4. The production testing system of claim 3 wherein said test module is integrated with at least one of said control module, said configurable integrated circuit and said integrated circuit.

5. The production testing system of claim 3 wherein said test module communicates with one of said integrated circuit and said configurable integrated circuit.

6. The production testing system of claim 1 further comprising a clock that generates a plurality of clock frequencies for said integrated circuit.

7. The production testing system of claim 6 wherein said integrated circuit is tested at a first clock speed, a first setpoint and a first setpoint range and a second clock speed that is different that said first clock speed, a second setpoint that is different than said first setpoint and a second setpoint range.

8. The production testing system of claim 1 wherein said first setpoint range is different that said second setpoint range.

9. The production testing system of claim 1 wherein said setpoint range includes a fixed offset from said setpoint and a percentage offset from said setpoint.

10. The production testing system of claim 1 wherein said setpoint is a voltage setpoint, said setpoint range is a voltage setpoint range and said N output signals are N voltage output signals.

11. A method for production testing an integrated circuit comprising:

generating a setpoint and a setpoint range using a control module;

providing a configurable integrated circuit that receives said setpoint and said setpoint range, that has M predetermined configurations, and that generates N successive output signals by sequentially selecting N ones of M discrete values of an output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit based on said setpoint and said setpoint range, where M and N are integers greater than one and where M is greater than N; and

testing an integrated circuit in accordance with said N output signals of said configurable integrated circuit.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said integrated circuit includes at least one of a memory circuit and a central processing unit.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising testing operation of said integrated circuit while said integrated circuit operates based on said N output signals of said configurable integrated circuit.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising performing said testing using a test module that is integrated with at least one of said control module, said configurable integrated circuit and said integrated circuit.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising performing said testing using a test module that communicates with one of said integrated circuit and said configurable integrated circuit.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating a plurality of clock frequencies for said integrated circuit.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

testing said integrated circuit at a first clock speed, a first setpoint and a first setpoint range; and

testing said integrated circuit at a second clock speed that is different that said first clock speed, a second setpoint that is different than said first setpoint and a second setpoint range.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said first setpoint range is different that said second setpoint range.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein said setpoint range includes a fixed offset from said setpoint and a percentage offset from said setpoint.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein said setpoint is a voltage setpoint, said setpoint range is a voltage setpoint range and said N output signals are N voltage output signals.

21. A production testing system for testing an integrated circuit comprising:

control means for generating a setpoint and a setpoint range;

a configurable integrated circuit that receives said setpoint and said setpoint range, that has M predetermined configurations, and that generates N successive output signals by sequentially selecting N ones of M discrete values of an output characteristic of said configurable integrated circuit based on said setpoint and said setpoint range, where M and N are integers greater than one and where M is greater than N; and

an integrated circuit that is tested in accordance with said N output signals of said configurable integrated circuit.

22. The production testing system of claim 21 wherein said integrated circuit includes at least one of a memory circuit and a central processing unit.

23. The production testing system of claim 21 further comprising test means for testing operation of said integrated circuit while said integrated circuit operates based on said N output signals of said configurable integrated circuit.

24. The production testing system of claim 23 wherein said test means is integrated with at least one of said control means, said configurable integrated circuit and said integrated circuit.

25. The production testing system of claim 23 wherein said test means communicates with one of said integrated circuit and said configurable integrated circuit.

26. The production testing system of claim 21 further comprising clock means for generating a plurality of clock frequencies for said integrated circuit.

27. The production testing system of claim 26 wherein said integrated circuit is tested at a first clock speed, a first setpoint and a first setpoint range and a second clock speed that is different that said first clock speed, a second setpoint that is different than said first setpoint and a second setpoint range.

28. The production testing system of claim 21 wherein said first setpoint range is different that said second setpoint range.

29. The production testing system of claim 21 wherein said setpoint range includes one of a fixed offset from said setpoint and a percentage offset from said setpoint.

30. The production testing system of claim 21 wherein said setpoint is a voltage setpoint, said setpoint range is a voltage setpoint range and said N output signals are N voltage output signals.